Le musée de la famille, 2021, Inès Sinou. Photo by: Jonathan Lorange.
My two children have stars in their eyes. They really enjoyed their experience.
L’eau du bain
L’eau du bain
Integrating children into live theatre production
Level UP! Strategy Area: Care Solutions
Pilot Project: Preparing a presentation of two shows featuring children in a touring context.
Project Duration: October 2022 – June 2023
Continuing to Implement: Yes
Resources Shared: Project Field Notes
About L’eau du bain
Location: Quebec
Artistic Discipline: Theatre
Operating Budget: $100,000 to $1,000,000
L’eau du bain is interested in crossing borders—those that separate artistic mediums, those that distance the public from the work, and those that isolate individuals. The company uses a mixed artistic language that blends theatre, performance, and sound installation.
By exploring theatre that questions its identity and overlaps with other disciplines, L’eau du bain seeks to exploit the immediacy and living aspect of this art. The company applies innovative tools to allow performing artists to concretely construct the show under the public’s gaze and with their involvement. With each creation, new rules of the game are established and new mechanisms are invented, to facilitate dynamic interactions between space, sound, artists, text, the audience, and elements of reality.
L’eau du bain’s Level UP! Project
L’eau du bain’s Level UP! Project aimed to develop strategies to integrate children into live theatre production. Their project, which was led by playwright, director, and prospector, Anne-Marie Ouellet, culminated with two performances featuring children, White Out and La chambre des enfants, presented at the at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa and the Festival TransAmériques in Montreal.
L’eau du bain designed and implemented a thoughtful approach that placed the needs of children and their families at the heart of the production process. This included tailored rehearsal schedules, working around school and extracurricular activities, and dedicated spaces for play and rest. Performances were met with glowing reviews and left the young performers and their families feeling thrilled and happy with the experience—affirming the value of integrating children into live performance in a thoughtful and supportive way.
Project Highlights:
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- Developed child-friendly rehearsal schedules and a joyful, low-stress environment.
- Maintained open, consistent communication with parents and adapted plans to accommodate various family dynamics.
- Established cross-functional roles, like stage managers doubling as caregivers, maximized support for the children while optimizing resources.
Resources
L’eau du bain | Project Field Notes
About This Resource L’eau du bain shared these Project Field Notes in 2024 as part of their Level UP! Pilot Project. Their project focused on preparing and presenting two shows that featured children (ages 7 to 14) in a touring context.
Related Resources
More Information
For more information about the L’eau du bain visit eaudubain.com.
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